


A Study in Holmes

by Rivermoon1970



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV), Elementary (TV)
Genre: Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Relationship Negotiation, Very mild d/s
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-29 11:42:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15728703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivermoon1970/pseuds/Rivermoon1970
Summary: This is a sequel to Rekindling, the Aaron Hotchner/Q story.This also was a trope bingo story. The prompt was Free Space.





	A Study in Holmes

Rekindling can be found here: <https://archiveofourown.org/works/11912985>. It does not have to be read to read this one. They both can stand alone.

 

_________________

 

Spencer was in New York with his best friend and his best friends lover. Over the course of the last six months, Spencer had gotten to know the man named Gresham Holmes, or Q as he liked to be called, better than most of the team. He and Q had a lot in common. They talked over Skype, or sent letters, having found an affianado in the fine art of the letter in Q. Aaron was amused by their budding friendship and showed no signs at all of being even a little jealous. Spencer knew how little time they often had with each other, which made him cherish the friendship just that much more. 

Q had even gone so far as to help him set-up a new security system, and sent pictures of kittens for adoption form the local shelter. He almost had gone and got the white Maine Coon they had, but the twin Siamese kittens had caught his heart. A girl and a boy. It wasn’t long before the two little ones had Spencer wrapped completely around their little paws.

Spencer had been surprised when Aaron and Q had asked him to meet them in New York while they were on vacation. Jack had gone with them, the little boy excited to be with his Uncle Gresh once again. The hotel was nice and it was central to everything that the couple had wanted to do, as well as close to Q’s brother, Sherlock. 

It was with a certain care that Spencer was dressing for the lunch date that he had been invited to go along with Aaron and Q. Sherlock and his partner, Joan Watson, were who they were meeting up with. Spencer wanted to look nice, but not too nice. After several changes he settled on wearing a pair of his dark denim jeans, a gray button-up that he tucked in, a dark blue waistcoat that had little silver threads all throughout, and a gray and blue tie that complemented the look. 

His bit of whimsy was the converse he was wearing. They were a custom pair that had a Star Trek theme handpainted on them. He had his mismatched socks on as usual. After getting his hair tamed, but left in a messy casual look, he was ready. He could admit that he was nervous.

The knock on his hotel door had Spencer taking a deep breath, calming his nerves.

“Hotch. I’m almost ready, just have to grab my wallet and phone.” Spencer held the door open and let his boss and friend inside.

“Have you found the room comfortable, Spencer?” Aaron asked as Spencer finished getting ready.

“It’s a great room. Better than anything the Bureau springs for.”

Aaron chuckled as he slid his hands in his pockets. 

“Where is Q?”

“He went ahead to meet Sherlock. The restaurant is in walking distance. It seems to be a favorite of Sherlock and Joan’s.” 

Spencer finished checking everything and grabbing the items he wanted then he turned to Aaron. 

“Ready.”

The two men walked towards their destination making small talk as they went. When they stopped at a posh Chinese restaurant Spencer lifted his brows questioningly. 

“Don’t worry, Spencer. They aren’t going to make you use chopsticks. This place is very good. Gresh took me here the first time we came back to New York after getting back together last year. It’s modern and I think you’ll be surprised by the menu. The dumplings especially are amazing.”

“Sounds good. I’ll trust you on the chopsticks.”

Aaron chuckled hard as they made their way inside, seeing Q and Sherlock quietly talking while Watson was sipping tea. 

“Aaron, Spencer, glad you guys made it. I already ordered some tea and starting with the duck wonton soup.”

“Yes, she quite insisted that we try it. The chef had put it on the menu recently.” Q stood and moved closer to Aaron, kissing him, then directing him where he wanted Aaron to sit. 

“I forgot to ask, where is Jack?”

“Miss Brooks took the young man to a children’s museum. There was talk of pizza and movies, or so I assumed form the boy’s excited chatter.” Sherlock looked uncomfortable when talking about Jack, and Spencer knew how he felt. He too, at one time, felt that way about children. Henry and Jack had broken him of his fear and anxiety.

“He’s going to have a lot of fun, Sherlock. Just because Father never bothered to let us actually be children, don’t begrudge your nephew.”

Spencer’s eyes went comically wide at that statement. 

“Gresham and I have been talking. Nothing definitive as of yet, but he has signed adoption papers.”

“Wow. That’s fast, right?” 

“Not exactly. I’ve known Jack for longer than the last year, but have reacquainted myself with the boy in that time. He’s a charming and sweet boy. I happily agreed.”

“That means this is serious this time.” 

Aaron looked towards Joan and smiled. 

“Very. But, we’re still deciding on logistics.”

“If I know my brother at all, he will be the one making the move, correct, Gresham?” 

“It’s one possibility. But, like I stated, we are still working it all out.” 

The soup arrived and the waiter served. Joan then took over and ordered some other dishes as everyone sampled the soup. 

“Wow, this is fantastic. Nothing like we’ve ever gotten on cases.” Spencer enthusiastically tucked into his food. He felt eyes on him and slowly lifted his head till he saw that Sherlock was watching him. 

“I’ve wanted to meet you for some time now, Dr. Reid. When my brother called and let me know that he and Aaron were going to be in New York I asked if you could come along. I read your paper on Empathy and Law Enforcement. It was rather brilliant.”

Spencer put his spoon down and wiped at his mouth before he started to speak. 

“Thank you. I’m glad someone read it,” Spencer joked as he tried to size up Sherlock. “I’ve always observed that those with natural empathy often make some of the best law enforcement officers. The patience and compassion needed in many branches, like our own, or in Homicide I believe is an important factor into making good police work.” 

“For how can you work to solve a crime if you don’t care about those that are left behind.” 

Spencer leaned back in his chair and sipped at his tea. 

“Exactly. But then there can be a downside in that you can sometimes empathize with those that are committing the crimes.”

“Like your series of papers on the curious case of Adam Jackson and his alter of Amanda?”

Aaron was about to intervene because he knew what Spencer had gone through on that case. A hand on his knee had him looking at Q who just shook his head. Aaron knew he was right, Spencer would need to deal with this himself. He didn’t need his friend and one-time mentor intervening.

“Are you interested in DID, Mr. Holmes?” Spencer tried not to feel defensive. He was publishing a series of studies at the end of each session with Adam/Amanda, with their permission. While the team had only encountered true DID twice, Spencer fully believed in its existence. 

“I am. Though for an entirely different reason. I believe these people,  _ believe _ they have other personalities living inside them, but I have not seen any concrete evidence that it actually exists.”

“I can assure you, Mr. Holmes, that it is very real and I have seen it twice now since joining the BAU.”

“Yet you only study the one young man, why is that, Dr. Reid?”

“Sherlock!” Watson scolded her partner. 

“It’s okay Miss Watson. I enjoy a good debate, Aaron could tell you that we’ve had some great debates on long plane rides. Our colleagues often stay out of it, but they are never meant to be malicious. We have diverse backgrounds and ideals. The only time I will get offended is if Sherlock outright says something offensive, and so far that hasn’t happened.”

Aaron almost choked on his soup as he side-eyed Spencer. 

“Yes, well, Sherlock you really don’t want to get on the bad side of Spencer’s sharp tongue.” 

“Aaron!” Q admonished him which made Spencer laugh.

“They really don’t know us very well, do they?” 

“To be fair, Spencer, they have not seen us together in a professional situation. Let alone debating during our downtime.”

Spencer shook his head and turned back to Sherlock. 

“Believe me, Mr. Holmes, DID is very real.”

“Please, call me Sherlock.”

The rest of the lunch was a whirlwind of delicious food, lively conversation, often with Spencer and Sherlock locked in what others would see as a friendly argument but was actually a very lively debate. 

“If you’ll excuse us, Sherlock, Joan, but Gresh and I have tickets to the theatre and we really need to get back to the hotel to change. It was lovely seeing you again, Joan. Was an interesting lunch, as always, Sherlock.”

“You guys have a couple of more days, right?”

“Yes, we aren’t leaving till late Sunday.”

“Then I insist we all have brunch on Sunday. I’ll text you with the details.”

“Sounds good. Spencer, please stay and have a good time.”

“Thank you, Aaron. I think I will.” Spencer smiled at Sherlock. He really was having an intriguing time and wanted to stay and get to know Sherlock more. Joan had stood and said goodbye to Sherlock as well. She was getting together with some of her friends later that day and wanted to get a little work done on some cases she had taken on before she had to head out. 

“We seem to be alone.” Spencer sipped at his tea and wondered just where their conversation was going to go now that everyone had left. “And I think I want to take a walk.”

“Would you like company? I’ve enjoyed our conversation more than I expected to.”

Spencer had hoped that Sherlock would ask. 

“As have I. Please, I’d love for you to join me.”

“Splendid.” The check had already been paid, neither Sherlock nor Spencer wanted anything sweet. They stood together and Sherlock walked in front of Spencer making their way out the door.

The lively conversation continued, and Spencer was enjoying talking to someone that could keep up with him on some of the more out there scientific theories. Sherlock was brilliant and Spencer admitted that the man, though not classically handsome, pushed many of his buttons. He kept wondering if Sherlock was flirting with him or not. The man was hard to read.

“Seems we reached my humble abode.” Sherlock, it appeared to Spencer, looked a little nervous. “Would you like to come in?”

“Sure.” The door opened and Sherlock waved Spencer inside. Immediately he started to look at the books on the shelves and was impressed by the variety of topics. Everything from histories of important battles, to the science of radio waves. There were biographies, philosophical works, and a few novels. Spencer took his time to look around. 

Spencer was struck by the wall of locks. His hands itched to try to pick them. Some of them looked old, some new, but Spencer quickly surmised that there had to be over a hundred of them.

“One-hundred and fifteen to be exact.” Sherlock handed Spencer a cup of coffee. He took a sip and gave Sherlock an appreciative nod.

“And I take it you’ve mastered every single one.”

“In fact, I have not. There are a few that I still have trouble with, but it’s a puzzle that keeps my mind occupied when sleep eludes me.” 

“Insomniac?”

“Consummate.”

“Hmm, me too. I try but just too many things going on all at once in here.” Spencer tapped his forehead as he stared at the wall of locks.

“Would you like to try?”

Spencer took a few steps back and leaned against the table behind him as he studied the locks. He wasn’t sure why he equated them with the puzzle of one Sherlock Holmes, but he did. There were so many things they shared. A love of books, titles and subjects just as eclectic as Spencer’s own collection. Trouble sleeping, highly empathic, loves puzzles. Difficulty relating to the outside world. Spencer smiled and turned to Sherlock.

“I bet you I can pick the majority of these locks in less than 20 seconds each.”

“I’m not sure I should take that bet. Your confidence is rather strong which leads me to the assumption that you may be correct.”

“Yet, you’re curious to find out if it really is confidence or ego.”

Sherlock’s smile was wicked and Spencer knew this would be an interesting contest.

“Turn around. I’ll mark the ones for you to attempt. Twenty-five, I think should do it. For empirical data, of course.”

“Of course. And I say, we have a little wager.” Spencer moved close to Sherlock and leaned against the wall.

“And what are the stakes?” Sherlock moved closer to Spencer.

“I win, I get to have you. You win, you get to have me.”

Sherlock leaned against the wall and reached out to touch Spencer. It was a light, almost tentative touch. 

“I accept.” 

Spencer smiled at Sherlock, wondering if he would try to win, or if he was going to lose, Spencer was excited to find out what the outcome was going to be. In the end it didn’t really matter because Spencer would win anyway.

* * *

Spencer pulled on his pants and padded out to the kitchen where coffee had been brewed. He had just finished pouring a cup when he heard a shout.

“Oh, oh Dr. Reid I ah, I didn’t know you were here.”

Spencer sipped his coffee and smiled at Watson.

“Well, Sherlock challenged me and I won.” Spencer’s smug smile had Watson both blushing and laughing. 

“I don’t think I even want to know what the challenge was, but I can guess what the prize was.” Watson had tongue firmly in cheek and her eyes sparkled with mischief as she moved towards the coffee pot. “I’m just going to get some coffee.” 

“It was locks.” Spencer sipped his coffee and found it perfect. 

“Locks? You wagered over locks?”

“I bet Sherlock that I could open whatever locks he wanted me to open in less than 20 seconds each. You never bet against a Vegas boy.”

Watson laughed pretty hard as she gripped the counter, her long hair fell in her face as she tried to regain control of herself.

“Oh, oh god, I almost wish I had seen that. Sherlock never gets taken.”

“Oh, he did last night. A couple of times.” Spencer smiled at her again admiring the way she just took a half naked man in her kitchen in stride. He laughed and walked back towards the bedroom with coffee in hand, leaving a blushing but highly amused Watson behind. As soon as he entered the bedroom, Sherlock was partially on his side, the sheets barely covering him up, Spencer leaned in the closed doorway and admired the man. He wondered to himself if this was going to be just a one time thing, a casual thing, or if it was going to be something more. He hoped it was going to be a casual thing that could turn into something more, but that meant they would have to eventually talk about the hard things, like feelings, their pasts and all of that. Spencer didn’t want to delve into that something more at the moment, right now he was making a study of one Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective. 

Spencer set his coffee cup down, tugged off the pants he was wearing and slid back into bed. He knew Sherlock had been awake, but was waiting for him. Gently he pushed till Sherlock was on his stomach. 

“I could spend hours making a study of your body. Trying to understand who you are by what is written on your skin. The tattoos, the strength, the muscles, the scars, small and large all tell me things. It would be fun to find out how right I am.” Spencer laid on top of Sherlock’s back, stretching out, and grasping the man’s hands and holding them above his head. He kissed Sherlock’s shoulder and slowly moved over the firm body beneath him. 

“Spencer, you just might be the end of me,” Sherlock moaned under him. 

“What do you want, Sherlock?”

“Whatever you want, Spencer.” 

Spencer knew the man meant it. Sherlock was a lot like himself, never said something that didn’t have meaning behind it. Spencer wanted hard and fast. He wanted to make Sherlock fall apart, to take him out of his head for the short time they were together. He wanted to watch and feel Sherlock’s body beneath him both fighting and giving in at the same time. And that was exactly what Spencer did. When he moaned as his body found it’s release, Sherlock not far behind him, Spencer fell to the side and took care of the condom. He didn’t even question the hand wipes that Sherlock kept near the bed. Spencer was very much the same when it came to being prepared, especially about sex. 

“You know, my team, except for Aaron, would never believe that I have sex, let alone hard, rough sex. You though, bring out a side of me that I never knew I had.”

“Alpha male, perhaps?”

Spencer laughed because except for a few times when someone made him particularly angry he had never felt very Alpha male. He left that to Morgan or Hotch.

“Perhaps.” 

Sherlock turned around in bed to face Spencer as he laid on his side and leaned up on his elbow, his hand holding his head up. 

“You’re brilliant, you know. I bet more than one person questions your desire to be in Law Enforcement. But I understand. It’s more than the need to help people, it’s the puzzle, the desire to understand the criminal mind. The need to study them, study the cases, let them be part of you so you can better help those around you.”

“You are only the second person that truly understands that. On some level my old mentor did, but he got lost, and ended up using me rather than really seeing me. Aaron, even though we’ve had our differences on cases, he sees me, and is never afraid to tell me that he’s using me where I’m most needed. And he gives me free reign on cold cases.”

Spencer ran a hand down Sherlock’s arm and noticed the same scars on him that he had. He didn’t say anything just raised a brow.

“I’ve been sober six months. Before that it had been almost three years. I can’t guarantee that I will always stay sober. But, everyday I work on it.”

Spencer was surprised at Sherlock’s frankness, he wondered if the man had been thinking some of the same things that he had been thinking. 

“Almost six years for me. Since you are being frank with me, I should do the same. Some cases, some days are harder than others. The cravings never fully go away, but I guess you know that. What keeps me going is the knowledge of how I hurt those I love the most. I don’t want to do that, but like you said, no guarantees.”

“I don’t do commitments.”

“Not asking for one.”

“I want to see you more.”

“I have a very demanding job.”

“Which I admire greatly.”

“This may not work.”

“Why not at least try.”

“You’re a stubborn man, Sherlock.”

“I don’t doubt you are just as stubborn.”

Spencer smiled and shook his head. 

“Just you need to know I don’t...I have a hard time with…” Sherlock was trying to tell Spencer something, something difficult, but he didn’t have to be a profiler to understand. 

“You don’t what, cuddle? And intimacy is an issue?”

Sherlock sat up and leaned against the headboard as he looked ahead of him, not really seeing anything in particular.

“It is something I struggle with. Something that is difficult for me to understand. I have a hard time connecting with people, not because I don’t want to, but because sometimes it is...painful. You were right in your assessment of me and my empathy. It often hurts me, Spencer and the more I let in, the more I can get hurt by it. But, it doesn’t stop me from wanting, and at least trying.”

“Sherlock, I’m not asking you for any lifelong commitments here. We are barely getting to know each other. I find you fascinating, and you attract me in many ways. I don’t mind keeping this casual. And you need to tell me, when or if it starts to become too much. That’s the only thing I ever ask for, honesty.”

“And I feel the same.”

“You have submissive tendencies in a relationship, don’t you?”

“You are quite perceptive.”

“I don’t like power games. In fact I don’t like games at all, but if you need me to be the one to take charge, I will. I prefer an equal partnership, but we can do it your way for now.”

Sherlock chuckled as he shook his head. Spencer sat up and reached for his coffee and drank while he let Sherlock gather his thoughts.

“I never negotiated a relationship before.”

“Did you expect anything less from two people who are a lot alike?”

Sherlock turned and looked at Spencer with a look of such fondness that Spencer couldn’t help smiling. He knew some of what Sherlock was going through, he had some of the same problems with connecting with people. Having been abandoned often by people who supposedly loved him could wear a person down and make them become distrustful. Spencer, however, had begun to learn ways to connect, to open up, to at least try. He very much wanted to try with Sherlock.

“No. I suppose that I should not have expected anything else.”

Spencer leaned forward and kissed, Sherlock. Intimacy would come in time, and Spencer was patient. 

“I’m hungry. Why don’t I take you to your favorite place to eat. Wherever you want and if you want to talk some more, I’d like that.”

Sherlock nodded and the two men quickly cleaned up and left for the day. Neither of them noticing Watson smiling after them. 

Sunday rolled around too soon, but brunch was good and the five of them had a good time. Spencer gave Sherlock an e-mail address that was neither used for work, or his academic endeavors. It was a private secure e-mail that they could use to communicate. Spencer also told him he could write to him, much like his brother did. It surprised Spencer when Sherlock actually liked the idea. Letters, he said, had a romantic flair. Phone calls were also discussed. 

Gresham and Aaron just watched as Spencer and Sherlock negotiated even their modes of communication. When it was all done, and Spencer, Aaron and Gresham were making their way to the airport, Spencer knew he was starting something exciting and possibly life changing. He wasn’t going to hope for too much, but he was very much looking forward to when he had another couple of days off so he could make plans to see Sherlock again.


End file.
